The Invitational
by DYquem
Summary: Waya creates a round robin invitational tournament which takes on a life of its own. What revenge will Akira take for being left out?
1. Organizational Meeting

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely don't make any money from this fic.

This is going to have about four or five short chapters, depending on how I divide it up. It is all written, but I want each scene to be in a separate chapter. I'll probably post one a day to give myself a little more time to proofread. Proofreading is like the old jello commercial, "there's always room for proofreading." I can massage a chapter umpteen times, post it and go 'oh, there's a typo' or 'hmm, I should have tweaked that sentence.'

A couple of people wondered about continuing "A Heian Fairy Tale." If I think up a good chapter on Akira's reaction or Ogata's reaction with Hikaru after "the fairy tale," then I'll write it up, but right now I am inclined to let it stand on its own. Basically it's complete unless something pops into my brain and wants to come out. I have a bunch of other Hikaru fic plots in the process that seem to want to come out first. This is the first of those.

In the manga there is a page or two showing Waya setting out a tournament list. This is an expansion on what happens next.

Please read and review.

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"Hey, pay attention. I've made up the list for the round robin. This is very important." Waya's small apartment seemed cramped with eight people in it and he raised his voice to be heard over the different conversations taking place.

"Yes, yes, oh great organizational leader. We hear and obey," Isumi said with exaggerated bows. Waya scowled at him and humphed.

"I want to know if there's a prize," said Shindou with a grin.

"A prize? The prize is the educational experience we're getting by creating an informal tournament," said Waya.

"To say nothing of bragging rights," added Fukui. He was just happy that Nakayama didn't want to do it and Waya had asked him if he wanted to take the last spot. He was the only one still an Insei in the group.

"Boo, hiss. I want a prize," said Saeki. 'Prize, prize, prize," chanted Isumi, Shindou and Kadowaki.

"Why bother? Don't you think it will just go to Shindou? With him participating we don't have much chance," Hondo said with a grimace.

"That's not true," said Ochi. "I fully intend to be the winner of this tournament. I would not waste my time otherwise." His trademark scowl was well in place and he glared at both Hondo and Shindou.

Saeki gave Ochi a perplexed look. He was an easy going man who got along with virtually everyone but he wondered sometimes why Waya, Isumi and Shindou put up with such an unpleasant associate. Ochi was always angry, obsessed or depressed. He was good at Go but aside from that he was unpleasant, immature and spoiled.

"As it happens, I have a prize in mind," said Waya. "It is in this sealed envelope."

"Sealed? What is it?"

"It's a secret. That's why it's sealed."

"Well, you couldn't fit a cup in that envelope," Shindou observed.

"Of course not," said Waya. Do you think I have tons of money to spend on a cup? I pay my rent and food here. You still live at home. I vote for Shindou to buy a cup for us."

"Here. Here." Several people spoke up at once.

"Hey, why me?"

"Oh, I don't know. Let's see. You are making good money from the title series. You live at home and your mother still does all the cooking and cleaning for you. She probably even buys your clothes. You can afford to buy a cup for us." Waya observed.

"What about Ochi? His grandfather's got plenty of money." Everyone looked at Ochi who just stared back coldly.

"No, I've got better chances of chewing on you to cough up the money. I know when to say "I have nothing." Waya said. Everyone laughed but Ochi, who just grimaced. "Don't worry about it. We'll just go with what I've got in the envelope."

"What's the name of the tournament?"

"Name? I don't know. It's just a round robin tournament," said Waya.

"Any tournament has to have a name. That gives it credibility," Kadowaki said.

"We could call it after you, Waya."

Waya wrinkled his nose. "I don't know; sounds kind of narcissistic to me. That would be a little weird Saeki."

"We could call it the Pro/Am tourney since we have both professionals and insei in it," Shindou said.

"Shindou, I could not have come up with a worse, more boring name if I worked on it for a week," Kadowaki observed.

"Gee, Thanks. Then you come up with something." Shindou crossed his arms and glared.

"SAI!" Waya suddenly shouted.

"Huh?" "What?"

"No. Sai. That's what we should call it. The Sai Tournament. He was an amateur who was better than any of the pros," Waya said. Everyone paused and thought that one over.

"I like it," Isumi said.

"How about the Sai Invitational? After all, you did invite us to participate," Fukui added.

"Ooh, good call. O.K. I hereby dub this tournament the Sai Invitational, named after the mystery internet player Sai who encouraged us all with the kifu he left to improve the strength of our Go."

"Waya, that's a great idea. I had no idea you could think so profoundly." Fukui said. Waya just smacked him.

Shindou didn't say anything. He was moved to near tears at the idea Sai was still remembered by so many people that Waya would want to name this little practice tournament after him. Even though it was informal and totally unofficial, Shindou just glowed inside with satisfaction. 'Sai,' he thought to himself. 'You made a mark on this world far beyond the way you changed my life. I will not lose this tournament named in your honor.'


	2. The Winner

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely don't make any money from this fic.

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"I TOLD you he would win. Not only did he win but he did it in back to back wins against Isumi-kun for the finals. So much for a best of three match," Hondo mourned.

"It was a best of three," Shindou observed. "It just took two games to get a best of three match." He grinned. "Yay, I'm the winner of the Sai Invitational. This is so cool." Shindou really was thrilled. It meant a lot to him to win this little educational tournament which was named after Sai.

"Are you going to start calling yourself Shindou Sai now?" Saeki asked?

"Naw, that would be too freaky. Plus it would be a little hard to explain to anyone who didn't play in the round robin why I seemed to change my name to Sai."

"You know, for a while there I thought you were Sai," Waya said. Shindou stiffened.

"What changed your mind?" He asked cautiously.

"You don't play exactly like Sai. You aren't as good as him. He beat Touya Meijin in a match new insei will be studying 50 years from now. That's not you. You're good but not that good. I still think you studied him or studied under him or something, but there are differences in your Go. You're sort of like 'Sai lite' or maybe 'Sai ultralite,'" Waya said.

"I did study the kifus from the internet. That might be why…" Shindou started but was interrupted by Waya.

"Yeah, yeah, tell it to the judge," Waya waved his arms in front of Shindou and looked disgusted. "I don't expect you to fess up after all this time and god knows you certainly don't seem to trust anyone, but I still think you are connected in some way. Same old, same old; spare me the denials. They're old news." Shindou just stared and everyone else in the room looked uncomfortable.

Then Saeki spoke up in a deliberate attempt to change the subject. "The prize. Let's have the awards ceremony. What's in the envelope?"

Waya shook off his annoyance and grinned at Shindou. "Yes, the prize. You are the proud winner of the first annual Sai Invitational Tournament. You now have the right to call yourself Shindou Sai for the next year. Of course, everyone outside this room will think you're a fruitcake if you do, but you DO have my blessing."

"Some people in the room would think him a fruitcake," said Ochi sourly. Even though he lost, he stuck around. Everyone wanted to know what was in that envelope.

"Hear ye, hear ye. I hereby announce that Shindou Hikaru is the winner of the first annual Sai Invitational. As such he is entitled to call himself Shindou Sai and to enjoy all the rights and privileges bestowed on him by this certificate." Waya gave Shindou a large flat sealed envelope.

"That's a different envelope than the one you had at the start of the tournament," Ochi pointed out.

"Yes. I had a friend of my sister's do the calligraphy and we changed it when we gave the tournament a name other than 'round robin.' Waya explained. "I also sprang for some good paper since _someone_ didn't come through with a cup." He eyed Shindou who just shrugged back.

"That's o.k., Waya. What would I want with something for my mother to dust?" Shindou opened the envelope and pulled out a large piece of handmade paper with beautiful calligraphy and a red stamp design on it. Everyone looked closely.

"What's it say?" someone asked.

"Congratulations on winning the first Sai Invitational Cup. You now have the right to call youself 'Sai.' The winner of this certificate also has the right, privilege and duty to take all 8 of the Sai Invitational participants out for a sushi dinner at his expense." Shindou raised his eyes from the paper to see shock mirrored in everyone except Waya, who was laughing hysterically on the floor babbling "Sushi. Sushi. It's time for sushi."

"WHAT???!??? The HELL you say!" Everyone but Shindou burst out laughing.


	3. A friendly conversation

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely don't make any money from this fic.

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"Hey Shindou Sai, how's it going?" Fukui caught up with him by the Go store. It was also near the conversational area with the wing back chairs. He grinned at the 3-dan and put his pen up to his mouth. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are here with Shindou Sai, current title holder of the Sai Invitational Cup. He is getting ready to defend it against Kadowaki 2-dan in the finals of the second annual Sai Invitational. Shindou sensei, do you think you can defend this title?"

Shindou was in an equally silly mood. "Why yes, Fukui-san, I fully intend to successfully defend it and maintain the coveted title of 'Sai.' I expect it to be a tough fight but am looking forward to the challenge." They looked at each other and then dissolved into laughter.

"S H I N D O U, are you coming or what??" Waya yelled from halfway across the open area and received more than a few glares in response. He gulped and ducked his head as though that would make him invisible to the glares.

"Sorry, Fuku-kun, I've got to run. Later." He took off. Shindou didn't notice Kosemura standing nearby and he certainly didn't notice Kuwabara Honinbou in one of the wing back chairs. Fukui laughed and put his pen away before glancing at some of the books in the store.

"Excuse me, could I ask for a moment of your time?" Fukui looked around when he heard this to see a young man about the age of Isumi standing nearby.

"Sure. How may I help you?"

"My name is Kosemura. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Shindou 3-dan. What is this about a title?"

Fukui laughed. He didn't recognize Kosemura but the guy didn't seem strange to him. It certainly didn't occur to him Kosemura was a reporter. Fukui was perfectly willing to tell the friendly young man all about it. He didn't pay any attention to the pen shaped object Kosemura was holding. "Yeah, that's our little joke. Well, it's a bit more than a joke." He cleared his throat, stood up straight and looked deliberately officious.

"The Sai Invitational is a tournament open to insei and young professionals by invitation only. It is entering its second year and is named after Sai, the famous elusive internet player who encouraged everyone to rise to the heights which can be achieved with Go. The invitation is given by Waya 3-dan." Then he laughed again and dropped the officious attitude. "There really is a serious round robin tournament we all play in, but it's totally unofficial. It's mostly from a study group. It's not _off_ the radar. It's nowhere _near_ the radar." Fukui laughed again. Waya-kun started it last year so we could all get some tournament practice in and then they continued it this year. It's really a lot of fun and I learned a lot about tournament playing in the process. Hondo-kun and Kadowaki-san said they learned a lot too. We did a round robin of 8 and then the top two finishers did a best of three matches for the finals. Last year it was Isumi-san and Shindou-kun. Shindou-kun won; _**big**_** s**urprise there." Fukui rolled his eyes. This year there were 8 people in the round robin and Shindou-kun didn't play in that. As the "title holder" he only plays the top finisher who is the challenger. That's Kadowaki 2-dan this year.

"It sounds like fun as well as educational," Kosemura said. Fukui nodded in agreement. "So the title of this invitational cup is 'Sai'?" Kosemura continued.

"Yeah, but we've all told Shindou-kun if he tries to call himself Shindou Sai in public everyone will think he is a fruitcake. Really, it's all about the bragging rights amongst those of us who know about it. It's called the Sai Invitational Cup but we don't have a cup. No one could afford one." Fukui laughed. "This is the second year we did it so that's why Shindou-kun is the defender. Waya tried to convince Shindou-kun last year he should buy a cup for it since he was the one in the group who was both making money and still living at home, but he didn't go for it. Waya went one better and put a 'prize' in a sealed envelope. Want to guess what the prize was?"

"I have no clue," Kosemura said with a smile

"It was great. Waya got someone to do this beautiful calligraphy on a handmade piece of paper. It said the winner of the Sai Cup had to treat all the participants to a sushi dinner at the winner's expense." Fukui and Kosemura both roared with laughter.

"You're kidding."

"Nope. Waya said he assumed Shindou-kun was most likely to win and he set it up so Shindou-kun had to pay for dinner. He figured he could afford it. It was really funny. Shindou-kun paid off on his prize, though. It was a great dinner."

"What is Waya 3-dan going to do this year? He won't be able to trick Shindou 3-dan again."

"That's o.k. Both Shindou-kun and Kadowaki-san agreed to buy the dinner if they won."

"Are you going to have the finals here at the Go Institute?"

"Are you kidding? No way is that going to happen."

"Why not? There are usually smaller rooms which aren't being used at some point in time. If Shindou 3-dan, Waya 3-dan and Isumi 2-dan are involved, surely someone would let them use a room."

"I can't imagine anyone having the guts to request a real room in which to hold our finals. Well, Shindou might have the guts, but still; no, there are definitely no plans I know of for anything like that."

"I think you should ask."

Fukui just waved his arms dismissively. "No. Can you imagine that? Hello, can we use a real room for our unsanctioned tournament game to give someone a fake title? I don't think so."

"Ho. Ho. Ho. These kids these days are very interesting." Kuwabara stood up and smiled at Fukui, who went a little white and bowed.

"Kuwabara Honinbou, I didn't realize you were there, sir."

"I know. I like it that way. Ho. Ho. Ho. So you need a room to hold your finals? I'm sure that can be arranged," he said with an anticipatory grin.


	4. Reporting the News

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely don't make any money from this fic.

Chapter 4 and 5 were originally one bigger chapter, but I decided to keep the scenes separate.

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Weekly Go, volume 21; issue 18; page 5

The Sai Invitational Cup Young Professionals Title

. By KOSEMURA

What are the young professionals up to while they wait to compete for the serious titles such as Meijin or Honinbou? Why they create their own tournament and title of course. This reporter has learned about an unsanctioned tournament started by Waya 3-dan. It is called the Sai Invitational Cup and is open by invitation only to higher insei and new professionals. The finals consist of a best of three series final between the challenger and the title holder. The challenger is the player with the best record after an 8 person round robin series of games.

This is the second year that Waya 3-dan and his friends have held the tournament. Kuwabara Honinbou was sufficiently intrigued by the idea that he arranged for the finals to take place in one of the tournament rooms in the Japan Go Institute.

"I asked the officials to let the kids use the room of Profound Contemplation, but the Institute wouldn't agree to that. They did let them use one of the lesser rooms, though. It's good to see these kids' energy. They can't compete for the real titles yet so they make up one of their own. Maybe that will keep them from coming after me for awhile. Ho. Ho. Ho."

Shindou 3-dan recently successfully defended his title against Kadowaki 2-dan and afterwards was willing to give us a few words. "Even though this is unsanctioned and totally unofficial, I took the defense of the Sai Invitational Cup very seriously. I plan to be the final challenger for a real title or two in the very near future and may as well start learning how to defend myself against a challenger now rather than later. It was just a surprise that you and Kuwabara Honinbou found out about it. It kind of freaked me out."

What did Shindou 3-dan win for his prize? He won the 'right' to pay for a sushi dinner for all 8 participants. Waya 3-dan tricked Shindou 3-dan into it last year and this year both he and Kadowaki 2-dan agreed the winner would buy sushi again.

Waya 3-dan said the idea was for insei and low level dans to get some real tournament practice. "The Young Lion's Tournament is a single elimination round and doesn't offer the same depth of experience as a round robin. That's what my friends and I tried to recreate."

Reader, you should consider congratulating Shindou 3-dan on his win the next time you happen to see him in the halls of the Japan Go Institute. Unofficial or not; unsanctioned or not, Shindou 3-dan won a serious tournament match series against his peers.


	5. A Lost Smile

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely don't make any money from this fic.

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Akira and his parents sat around the traditional dining table eating. His mother was waiting for the right moment to ask him something. "Akira-san, I happened to see something in that Weekly Go of yours. You know I don't normally look at it but the paper was folded to the page and I saw the article about a 'Young Professionals title," Touya Akiko said. "I see your friend Shindou 3-dan won the title and then defended it this year against his peers."

"His peers? Humph. Those players are not Shindou's peers. I would have been appalled had he lost," Akira said then looked abashed when his father frowned at him with disapproval in his narrowed eyes. His father never approved of insulting any Go player. "Shindou is a rival I keep behind me, mother. He is not a friend."

"Yes, dear," she said, not believing a word of it. She and Ichikawa exchanged notes on how much Akira and Hikaru debated over the goban, fought and then defended each other against anyone else. That sure sounded like a friend to her. Ichikawa had even witnessed Hikaru drag Akira out of the go salon in search of ice cream.

"Did you enter this Sai Cup?"

"Of course not, mother. It's not a real tournament. It is nothing. It is just some insei and new pros getting together to play games. To even call it an unsanctioned tournament dignifies it beyond what it deserves. It is not sanctioned by the Go Institute and I have no idea why Kosemura wrote about it in Weekly Go. Perhaps it was a slow news week. I have no time for that sort of thing. I play in real tournaments." He bit his lip. "Besides, it was an invitational." Akira deliberately sipped his tea.

Akira's mother did not play Go and had knowingly never learned a lot about the inside life of the professional go player, but she knew when her son was hurt and her heart ached to realize once again that Akira's special talents had kept him out of the circle of friends his own age.

He truly was so busy he could not have made the time for the unsanctioned round robin, but she knew it still hurt him to be excluded deliberately from a tournament of his age peers. He may be a brilliant go player, but he was still her son and it worried her to see him keep so much inside. He needed a friend or he would become cold and uncaring. She knew Ogata sensei was cold inside, and she didn't want her son to become like him. Her own husband was stern and quiet on the outside especially in public, but she knew the private Kouyo whom no one else saw. Inside he burned with feelings and passion. He was not truly cold like Ogata-sensei. Touya Akiko wanted her son to grow up more like her husband and not like Ogata.

Akiko remembered when Akira was in the 6th grade before he went to that Kaio middle school. She wasn't a fool. She knew something ugly had happened there at the Go club even though she didn't know any of the details. Whatever happened had caused him to shut down inside and not be as open to others, especially children his own age. Then he became totally focused on the pro exam and left childhood behind forever. Before Kaio, when he was still in the 5th and 6th grade, he had had the sweetest, most wonderful smile in the world. It was a bright smile which reached his eyes. He was a little bit of a miniature adult even back then, but she had seen the occasional grin and he always seemed pleased to play go with another child even if they couldn't play as well as he could play. She missed Akira's beautiful smile.


	6. The Best Revenge

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely don't make any money from this fic.

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18 Years Later:

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_Monthly Go_, Volume 41; issue 18; page 23

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In the picture above, Waya Kisei, founder of the Sai Invitational cup for young Insei and Professionals, awards the 20th annual cup of this coveted title to Touya Miyuki Shodan. She had been favored to win ever since passing the pro exam earlier this year. She defeated the reigning title holder Takahashi 3-dan to claim the title. Since this tournament is now in its 20th year Monthly Go will do a short recap of its history.

The Sai Invitational is open to all Insei and Professionals of a level 3-dan or below who have been professionals for less than five years. It was begun 20 years ago as an informal unsanctioned round robin tournament study aid by Waya Kisei, who was Waya 2-dan at the time of the tournament's inception. The founding participants were Waya Kisei, Isumi Sensei, Honda Sensei, Shindou Honinbou Meijin, Saeki Sensei, Kadowaki Sensei, Ochi Sensei and Fukui san, a reporter with NHK TV and regular contributor to both Monthly and Weekly Go. At that time the format featured a round robin series of games between all 8 entrants with the title match played by the top two finishers. The title match consisted of a best of 3 series of standard 90 minute games.

Sixteen individuals from all over Japan are now invited to participate in the tournament each year. The preliminary consists of a double elimination series to create a final group of 8. The 16 play 8 games. The 8 winners then play each other and those with two wins enter the tournament. The 8 losers play and those with 2 losses are eliminated from the tournament. The remaining 8 with one loss each then play and the four winners from those games enter the finals.

The final group of 8 then participate in a round robin and the top finisher of that series plays against the title holder, if any. Waya Kisei has told Monthly Go in the past the purpose of this tournament is to encourage high level Insei and new Professionals, so there is an unusual constraint. The title holder may only hold it for two years. In the third year the title holder retires undefeated and is ineligible to defend the title. In those situations, the top two finishers of the 8 person round robin then play a series of a best of three matches for the title. This rule also applies if the title holder is otherwise ineligible for the title by reaching the status of 4-dan or 5 years as a professional during the year.

Shindou Honinbou was the winner of the first tournament. In the tournament's second year, Kosemura-san, a Weekly Go reporter at the time and the late Kuwabara Sensei learned about the tournament prior to the finals. Kuwabara Sensei arranged for the finals to be held at the Go Institute. Shindou Honinbou won it for the second straight year. He then retired undefeated and did not defend the title in the third year. It was not officially sanctioned by the Japan Go Institute until its fourth year. It is now a hotly contested and much coveted title currently sponsored by Toyota. The finals are always popular and watched closely round the world on the internet by thousands.

The Sai Invitational Cup took its name from Sai, the now legendary player who only played on the internet. Sai won against everyone he/she ever played, including the historical match between Sai and Touya Kouyo which is still analyzed today. Waya Kisei has stated in the past the tournament was named after the mysterious player since Sai taught people through the kifu of the games he left. He was considered to be an inspiration to all Go players by encouraging them to continue learning and by showing them the heights which could be reached through the game of Go.

After the awards ceremony Waya Kisei, Takahashi 3-dan and all 8 of the round robin participants went out for the traditional post ceremony sushi dinner paid for courtesy of the newly crowned Touya Sai. The tradition of the winner paying for sushi for all the finalists dates back to the first tournament.

- ~ -

Touya Akira watched with quiet pride as his daughter accepted the cup. He then watched as the participants dissolved from a group of staunch new pros and insei respectfully attentive to the ceremony into a group of somewhat noisy young people. Miyuki was surrounded by her fellow professionals and insei. There were smiles and some teasing and grumbling; there were promises she'd only keep it one year. One of the older of the young people rubbed her hair and told her he would eat his weight in sushi. The young man just laughed when she responded by smacking him lightly on the shoulder. Akira watched them collect themselves and head out the door to eat. His daughter had her first title. More importantly, his daughter had friends. Life was good.

~ -

Owari

- - - -

I always feel sorry for Akira. He really doesn't have any age mates to be his friend and I do think he and Hikaru are becoming friends at the end of the manga. I noticed how pleased he was to play with Hikaru when he first showed up and also how pleased he seemed at first to play with the boy who was child meijin until he realized what a poor player the kid was. He really was drawn with a beautiful smile in those chapters. He was always willing and pleased to play anyone who asked him in the go club. He didn't mind. It is just that everyone stayed away from him out of jealousy and fear (the little snots.) There is also the time after he turned pro he was invited to a study group with some of the younger pros. It was during the game between Touya Kouyo and Sai. The others in the group were real up front about how they invited him to pick his brains. It wasn't a "hey, lets get some friends together to study together and have a good time." It was "hey, I've got this study group of my friends. I know. I'll invite Akira and we can pick his brains." At least that was what I got out of the manga. So I just feel sorry for him. He really needs someone to drag him out of the go salon for ice cream, or to say "hey, come on this sunday, all the young pros are getting together to see that new sci fi flick when we're finished with the amateur go convention."


End file.
